Romanian private healthcare provider MedLife has launched an intestinal microbiome test whose sample processing, sequencing and interpretation are performed entirely in Romania, eliminating the need to send samples to laboratories abroad.

MedLife said the test uses advanced sequencing technology to analyse the human intestinal microbiome and provide patients with individualised information that can support recommendations on diet and lifestyle.

The project was developed by a multidisciplinary MedLife team coordinated by Dumitru Jardan, biologist and doctor of medical sciences, together with researchers, biostatisticians, doctors, mathematicians and computer scientists. The processing is supported by Illumina sequencing technology.

MedLife said it is the first Romanian medical organisation capable of determining the entire human microbiome domestically. The company also said it was the first organisation in both Romania's private and public healthcare sectors to sequence the human genome in the country, an achievement announced less than a year ago.

The microbiome data will be integrated into the MedLife application alongside genetic information, biometric data and patients' medical histories. The company said the integration is intended to support a more personalised approach to healthcare.

Until now, samples collected in Romania for this type of analysis had been sent to laboratories abroad for sequencing and interpretation, according to MedLife.

The company said domestic processing will enable microbiome information to be incorporated into a broader patient health profile, combining biological and clinical data to support personalised medical recommendations.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: MedLife)